1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and apparatus for repairing damages on a wall of an enclosed chamber or structure in which a fuel is burned to provide heat, such as, for example, coke ovens or combustion chambers in a coke oven battery.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A coke oven is constructed at present chiefly by refractory bricks because it is subjected to an extremely high temperature. The coke oven undergoes external mechanical force, thermal stress and various other effects resulting from carbonization of coal charge, coke oven gas and the like. Therefore, damages are created at various parts of the coke oven when it is used for a long period of time. More particularly, a wall of the coke oven is liable to be damaged, because various effects resulting from the above factors are exerted to be concentrated on the wall. When the wall of the coke oven is damaged, the damage on the wall must be repaired by spraying mortar. If the wall is damaged to a large extent, the refractory bricks must be exchanged. In this regard, it is required to examine as to whether the wall of the coke oven or combustion chamber is damaged. Furthermore, the damaged area and its condition must be understood exactly.
In the prior art, the damaged area on the wall is detected by an operator peeping at the inside of the oven from a front of the coke oven or an inspection hole of the combustion chamber. In this method, it is not easy to detect the damaged area on the wall, its location and the condition of the damage exactly. Furthermore it is not desirable for a human operator to conduct the examination of the coke oven in under a hard working environment which is at a high temperature. Furthermore, when the damages are detected, the repairing work must be conducted in the inside of the coke oven covering a wall opposite to the wall to be repaired with a heat insulating material. Accordingly, the repairing work in the prior art is troublesome, takes time and is hazardous because it must be done under a high temperature and bad environment.